The United States and European Union have agreed to end a festering dispute over US steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by former US President Donald Trump in 2018.

Iran PressAmerica: The United States and European Union have agreed to end a festering dispute over US steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump in 2018, removing an irritant in transatlantic relations and averting a spike in EU retaliatory tariffs, US officials said on Saturday.

The previous US administration imposed a 25% tariff on European steel and another 10% tariff on aluminum in June 2018 on the grounds of national security.

The EU vehemently contested the move from the start and after multiple failed attempts to reach a deal with the Trump administration, the bloc took the case to the World Trade Organization and imposed retaliatory measures on up to 6.4 billion euros ($7.78 billion) of US exports. 

European allies have been somewhat worried about US President Biden’s foreign policy, after the difficult withdrawal from Afghanistan in the summer, the controversial nuclear submarine deal with Australia and the lack of developments to fix trade disputes.